Steven Tyler is back! The great lead singer from Aerosmith tried out his healing voice and throat Sunday night after the Grammys at his own charity event. I’m happy to say the result was a triumph.

At his annual fundraiser for his Janie’s Fund, Tyler took the stage with a a variety of musicians including Nino Bettancourt, Lainey Wilson, Matt Sorum, and Chris Robinson.

Looking healthy and ready to rock, Tyler first sang Bettancourt’s Eighties “More Than Words” as a kind of preview what was to come. Once Tyler was confident, he welcomed country singer Wilson to the stage, sat down at the piano and started playing the introduction to “Dream On.”

To say the crowd at the Hollywood Palladium went crazy is an understatement. With Tyler hitting they keys, Wilson sang the beginning verse to the classic rock songs. Then Tyler swooped in, and it was clear he was in command.

Tyler first announced a broken larynx in September 2023. He thought it would heal enough to go back on tour, but in August 2024 the decision was made to stop touring. His voice had not recovered. A final Aerosmith tour was scuttled.

If tonight was any evidence Tyler could record again with Aerosmith. A return to touring might be ill advised. But a final show, filmed, would seem like a great idea.

What a thrill to hear Steven Tyler again tonight. The other musicians he featured before he hit the stage were Joan Jett, Billy Idol, a doting Mick Fleetwood, and hatted songwriter Linda Perry ferociously fronting the house band on a couple of Led Zeppelin songs. She was sensational.

Clive Davis knows how to throw an incendiary 50th anniversary version of his pre-Grammy party.

Performers last night included most of the top 10, showing that Clive still has finger in the pulse of the next generation. Post Malone Shaboozey, Teddy Swims, Benson Boone, Samara Joy, and Doechii rocked the Beverly Hilton ballroom with dynamic performances that rocked the A List audience.

Other performers included the sizzling Black Crowes, Michael Buble, and Yolanda Adams, all of whom knocked it out the park, so to speak, for the Triple A List audience.

But the show stopper was an unexpected Joni Mitchell, whose appearances are rare enough. Joni, a long time fan of the Clive Davis dinner, has never taken the stage herself. She did last night, to a thunderous welcome. Sitting in what I call her Solomon Burke throne, Mitchell delivered a mesmerizing version of her signature hit, “Both Sides Now,” that beat even the one she did on Thursday night at Fire Aid.

Joni must have been shocked by the intense, emotional response from the audience because she was only supposed to sing one song. Bolstered by waves of love, she then launched into a rendition of George Gershwin’s “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess” that rivaled even my favorite version by Billy Stewart — or any of the many great singers who’ve recorded this song. It was sublime, a landmark moment in Clive’s 50 years of showcasing artists.

The very appreciative audience included forever Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, plus Barry Manilow — the instigator of this whole party 50 years ago, Motown legends Berry Gordy, the legendary Gladys Knight, and Suzanne DePasse, Frankie Valli, Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz, Jennifer Lopez (with manager Benny Medina), Gayle King, Jimmy Kimmel — who functioned as a hilarious co-emcee to Clive, Kenny Babyface Edmonds, Diane Warren, Peter Asher, Ray Parker Jr., Taylor Dane, Sheila E., Jeff Zucker, Paul Shaffer, famed actress Michele Lee, “Laugh In” creator George Schlatter, hit songwriter (“Murder on the Dance Floor”) and New Radicals creator Gregg Alexander, KISS’s Paul Stanley, Ari Melber, Don Lemon, Bill Maher, Kenny G, famed drummer Matt Sorum, singer Estelle, and so on.

Manilow, before his own show stopping performance, declared he started with Clive at Arista Records “in 1823.”

Mr. Brainwash — aka Thierry Guetta — was front and center after making a portrait of Clive and all his artists.

That gives you just a hint of the audience. Even Paris Hilton was there. She lost her Malibu home. She told me, “It’s not the house, it’s the memories, it’s all the art we made with the kids. It’s all gone.”

There were emotional remembrances of both producers Quincy Jones and Richard Perry (the latter featured Rod Stewart, Jane Fonda, Carly Simon, Ruth Pointer, and David Foster.) Universal Music giant Lucian Grange toasted beloved UMB Music publisher Jody Gerson. Recording Academy president Harvey Mason, Jr echoed their sentiments about Los Angeles.

The dinner and show are usually just a a celebration for the Recording Academy. But this year the whole night was a fundraiser for Musicares to support musicians who lost their homes or needed help from the LA wildfires. Davis announced he’d made a substantial six figure contribution himself. He also revealed one from philanthropist Iris Smith, who wasn’t there. (Instead, comic Jeff Ross — in the audience — cracked everyone up by taking a bow.) Hilton Hotels donated $500 per every guest at last night’s event.

The night was another roaring success for Clive, coupled with the fundraising component and many acknowledgments of everything that was lost this last month.

Tonight, Clive Davis and the Recording Academy have their annual pre-Grammy dinner and show, this year turned into a fundraising event for Musicares’ efforts for wildfire relief. Donations are already huge.

So last night Clive had another new annual experience: a private dinner for friends and family at the Beverly Hills Hotel. Clive throws it himself, what the almost 93 year old music mogul seems a “small” gathering so the lifetime New Yorker can see friends all at once.

Was their entertainment? Enter pop icon Neil Sedaka, only 86, who sat down at a baby grand piano and knocked out five of his hits like a champ. The guests went wild with standing ovations. Neil was his usual, self effacing sweetheart. The songs, like “Breaking Up is Hard to Do,” “Laughter in the Rain,” and “Solitaire,” have stood the test of time beautifully. Everyone sang along.

And who was everyone? Dame Joan Collins, looking like several million bucks, plus Barry Manilow, songwriters Diane Warren and Kenny Babyface Edmonds, famed record producer and performer Peter Asher, supermodel Beverly Johnson, former Guns n Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer Matt Sorum, the great philanthropist Barbara Davis, her charity fundraiser superstar daughter Nancy Davis and her husband Ken Rickel, star entrepreneur Nikki Haskell, Republic Records chief Monte Lipman, “Laugh In” creator George Schlatter, just to name a few in the small gathering of over 100 luminaries.

I was thrilled to run into Candy Spelling, Broadway producer and mother of Tori, who told me the grim details of her $41 million Malibu home burning down during the fires. She’ll making a big donation tonight.

Tonight marks the 50th anniversary of Clive’s famous pre-Grammy dinner. Davis told the story of how it all began when Manilow, after attending the Grammys as an artist on Clive’s brand new Arista Records, asked where the after party was. Davis responded, “Party? Only 10 people work for us.” But that put a bug in his ear, and the party that people fight to get into was born.

Who’s coming tonight? These are closely held secrets. But come back here Sunday morning for all the dish!